3 Best Ways to Catch Up With One Piece Before 2026 Return

by

With a major 2026 on the horizon, now is a great time to get into One Piece. Created by Eiichiro Oda, this popular series has been running in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump for almost 30 years and has become incredibly expansive. It includes over 1,100 manga chapters and nearly as many anime episodes, but there’s even more One Piece content to explore beyond the main series!

Despite a break earlier this year, One Piece has maintained strong momentum, and the franchise is poised for significant growth with several new releases planned for 2026. These upcoming anime, live-action, and manga projects will reshape the future of One Piece, so here are three key things to watch for as we head into next year.

Catch Up With One Piece’s Manga

As we look ahead to 2026 and beyond, the most important thing to watch is the original One Piece manga by Eiichiro Oda. With over 1160 chapters released so far, the story is currently in a new part of the Elbaph Arc. This arc is proving to be significant, especially since fans have been anticipating the Giants’ homeland for almost twenty years. More broadly, this arc is part of the series’ final storyline.

Eiichiro Oda, the creator of One Piece, hasn’t said how long the story’s final arc will be, but it’s already covered two major story arcs. These arcs have shown us important places Luffy and his crew have visited on their journey to the final destination, Laugh Tale. There are still more locations to explore and enemies to defeat before they get there. You can read the three newest chapters for free on Viz Media’s Shonen Jump or Shueisha’s MangaPlus. If you want to read everything from the beginning, you’ll need a subscription, but it’s affordable – just a few dollars a month.

You Have Time to Watch One Piece’s Anime

The One Piece anime is heading for a big change after the Egghead Arc finishes later this year. Starting in 2026, new seasons will be released periodically instead of continuously. The Elbaph Arc is scheduled to begin in April 2026, giving viewers at least three months to get caught up. While the series has over 1,100 episodes, it’s manageable if you watch a bit more each day.

Watching just a few episodes of One Piece each day will have you caught up by April 2026. You can speed things up even more by skipping the opening and ending themes, as well as the recaps and previews. This way, each episode could take as little as 15-18 minutes, letting you finish the series surprisingly fast. It’s a great show, and you can stream it on platforms like Crunchyroll and Netflix.

Get Ready for One Piece Season 2 With Netflix

If you’re looking to get into One Piece, the Netflix live-action series is the easiest way to start. The first season has eight episodes and covers the East Blue saga from the original manga, staying true to the source material while also being enjoyable for newcomers. It was a hit with both longtime fans and those discovering the story for the first time. A third season is already planned, and Season 2 will premiere on Netflix next March.

The second season of One Piece, officially titled One Piece Into the Grand Line, will premiere worldwide on Netflix on March 10th. Now’s a good time to catch up on the first season, because Season 2 promises even bigger adventures! Luffy and his crew, the Straw Hats, are finally entering the Grand Line, which means exciting new characters – both friends and enemies – will be introduced. You won’t want to miss it!

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/list/10-best-anime-power-systems-list/embed/#

Read More

2025-11-08 19:41